Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Angela Merici, the foundress of the Ursuline Order. Although Saint Angela lived over 450 years ago, her impact is felt throughout the world still today. It is felt especially in the many places where Ursuline sisters serve, such as Canada, Slovakia, the United States, and right here in Kisvárda.
That impact was recognized this morning with a special mass in honor of Saint Angela at Szent Péter és Pál church held for the third and fourth grade students. The mass began with a procession to the altar led by a flag representing the Ursuline Order. I had the opportunity to altar serve at the mass in the morning alongside some Szent László staff and pupils and in the afternoon, I visited the gravesite of the Ursuline Sisters at the cemetery with Sister Franciska and Sister Igancia. As I placed the candles on the headstones under the bright full moon, I began to reflect on the lives of the sisters buried there.
Like Saint Angela, their journey in this world has finished, but their impact continues. I think the witness of the Ursuline sisters here at Szent László can teach all of us in this school community three lessons. The first is to remember that our actions have consequences that extend to the future and even beyond our lives. We do not know all of the blessings that came and still come from the service of those sisters buried in the cemetery.
The second lesson is to remember that God has called each of us to a vocation. The vocation of every one of us, of course, is to do the will of the Lord in every area of our life. The life of Sister Ignacia and Sister Franciska is a reminder, especially for our students, that Jesus may be calling you to devote yourself to him more fully as a sister, a monk, or a priest.
The third lesson is that the Saints are great friends of all Christians. The work of Saint Angela did not stop when she passed away. I am sure that she continues to pray from her place in Heaven for the sisters of her Ursuline Order and the people they serve.
Saint Angela, pray for us!
Luke Larson, angol lector at Szent László
